Speculation and rumor are running rampant that Special Counsel Robert Mueller may be ending his investigation as soon as next week. For three days last week, the Office of Special Counsel employees were seen removing boxes and wheeling out a cart full of files from their office. Four of Mueller’s prosecutors have now resumed their former jobs at the Department of Justice, according to CNN, and his grand jury doesn’t seem to have convened since January 24th, the day it brought an indictment against Roger Stone. It’s all very curious. Major news stations are reporting that Mueller is about to issue his report.

So what’s happening here? We know Mueller extended his grand jury for six months at the beginning of January. That doesn’t sound like he’s ready to end the investigation. We know that he’s working in cooperation with several other jurisdictions, none of which seem to be wrapping up. We also know that Paul Manafort was cooperating with the Special Counsel before he screwed it up. Since cooperation is only sought when the subject has someone larger to implicate, we know the Yellow Brick Road doesn’t end at Manafort.

Dorothy’s journey doesn’t stop in the poppy field, nor in the dark woods. No, she goes all the way to the Emerald City. It is her destiny. Robert Mueller’s destiny is to finish his probe and in order to do that he will have first reviewed all the threats to his investigation and placed effective protections around it.

But wait, you say! What if there is actually no “there” there? What if all there is here is a little side corruption with Trump’s cohorts, and what if Trump is actually innocent of everything? Mueller’s report could say just that.

Possible. Not at all likely. Keep in mind the circumstantial evidence around Trump and his minions is mountainous and broad. And, despite what a lot of people believe, people get convicted all the time just on circumstantial evidence. Trump and his circle of grifters have their DNA spattered all over this mess and the one who truly understands that fact the most is Robert Mueller.
Another thing, let’s recall the many times the press has speculated that Mueller is ready to issue his report and be done with it. When Rudy Giuliani came onboard the Trump legal team in April of last year, he said the investigation would wind up in two weeks.